Q&A of the Day – Election Integrity in the 2024 Election Cycle
Each day I feature a listener question sent by one of these methods.
Email: brianmudd@iheartmedia.com
Social: @brianmuddradio
iHeartRadio: Use the Talkback feature – the microphone button on our station’s page in the iHeart app.
Today’s Entry: Brian, I heard you say that poll watchers are still needed across the country. You reminded me of something I’d wondered about. How many of the problem states from the 2020 election passed election integrity laws to fix the problems? I remember Georgia did something around the time Florida did, but I haven’t heard anything about it in a long time.
Bottom Line: You’ve asked an unintentionally loaded question. By that I mean the question that you asked, how many of the problem states from 2020... I realize that you’re asking about states like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania that had questionable voting practices in play four years ago that led to many Americans questioning the results of elections in those states. In reality, however, there are many more states that could be said to have what some might refer to as “problems”. For example, Harvard’s annual Electoral Integrity Project Report shows the United States is set to enter this year’s election cycle with an average national score of 71 out of a 100. In other words, the average state across the country is effectively running “C” quality elections from an integrity standpoint. In some household's “C’s” are deemed to be acceptable grades. Growing up in mine, it would have led to punishment. For perspective, in the Americas alone these are all of the countries with greater electoral integrity scores than the United States according to Harvard’s study: Canada (which leads the way with an 86), Uruguay, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru and Brazil. With a 71 score we’re tied with Peru.
As you referenced, I’d mentioned earlier in the week the that Republican Party is actively still seeking to recruit and train poll watchers across this country. With the average state having what amounts to barely passable election integrity systems in place it further emphasizes the importance of that point. Now with that said there have been many states that have improved election integrity within their states since 2020 – none the least of which is Florida as we’ve done it multiple times since then in creating the most efficient voting systems in the country.
- A total of 28 states have acted on election integrity since the 2020 cycle
For the ease of breaking down states that have passed laws addressing election integrity since the 2020 presidential election cycle, I’ll break them out into two categories... States won by Biden in 2020, and states won by Trump in 2020.
Biden states: Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York
Trump states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming
Obviously, with only 6 of the 28 states that have passed new voting laws being Biden states in 2020, it’s been a far greater priority for Trump states as is no surprise. Also, obviously, there’s a significant divide in the voting measures undertaken in Florida, compared to New York for example.
However, to the intent of today’s question, two of the states whose results were called into question by the former president, Arizona and Georgia, have passed meaningful election integrity laws since the 2020 election. Additionally, two potential swing states in this year’s election New Hampshire and New Mexico, are also among the six to improve their voting systems.
The Heritage Foundation has created their own election integrity scorecard updated with all new state laws accounted for. Notably, Florida currently has the 2nd highest election integrity score in the country, tied with Georgia for that distinction. Here’s the Heritage Foundation’s rank and score for each of the challenged 2020 states.
- Georgia 2nd
- Wisconsin 10th
- Arizona 24th
- Pennsylvania 24th
- Michigan 27th
Of course, another important dynamic shift for the entire country in this election cycle compared to four years ago is the absence of a pandemic. Many states sidestepped laws in their states, and were allowed to do so in the courts, in the name of COVID. The absence of similar policies and altered voting procedures should be a general tailwind for election integrity in this cycle. But of course, nothing can be or should be taken for granted which is why, for example, it’s important to have well trained poll watchers observing elections across the country.